Chapter 15
As the sun went down, the back alleys sank into darkness.
The area in front of a cheap tavern, where they sold low-quality beer, was as noisy as if it were swarming with gnats.
Except for a few places with lights on, the streets were so dark one couldn’t even see a foot ahead.
It was only natural that the lower class couldn’t afford lamp oil.
To the poor, darkness was a familiar thing.
Maddie, too, walked swiftly through the blackened streets as if a curtain had been thrown over her eyes, pressing her palm to the wall as she went.
She turned right, went four blocks, passed two small doors, turned again, and descended a narrow staircase.
The route Maddie took now was more complicated than when she’d brought Yulician to the office. Eventually, she stopped in front of a worn door tucked between alleyways.
“Hey. Open up.”
“Who are you to talk like that?”
“I’m counting to three. One. Two.”
“Maddie?”
Just before she reached three, the door flew open. The man who called her name had light orange-brown hair and deep green eyes that looked almost gray.
A full head taller than Maddie, he blinked in surprise and stared at her, then stretched his neck to check the path she had taken.
After confirming no one had followed her, he stepped aside and spoke quietly.
“Come in.”
Without hesitation, Maddie stepped inside like it was her own home.
The place was as chilly as outside, with only a single small lamp lit.
As soon as she sat on the creaky wooden chair, Maddie stretched and let out a groan.
The man quickly brought another chair and sat across from her.
With his arms draped over the backrest and sitting in reverse, he looked like a young boy. But with his long limbs, he also resembled a full-grown man.
Blinking his green eyes, he launched into a flurry of words.
“Wow, Maddie. Or should I say sis. Or ma’am.”
“What.”
“I nearly passed out when I saw the newspaper! Why the hell did you go into the Grand Duke’s house? What was his name again? Something long and complicated. Are you seriously planning to scam that Grand Duke? Can you? Do you want to live your whole life on the run? Are you confident?”
“Nox. Shut it. Let me think.”
“What are you even thinking about? Since when do you live your life thinking?”
Before Nox could finish his joke, Maddie kicked the leg of his chair. With a crash, he fell to the floor, but as if used to it, he promptly set the chair upright and sat back down.
“Well, if you weren’t a thinking person, I wouldn’t have followed you around, right? We’ve been through years together, shared money. I was ignorant. I was wrong again. I made a mistake. How dare I…”
“Shut your mouth.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
Maddie frowned and rubbed her temple.
Nox’s pestering was already grating on her nerves just moments after seeing him for the first time in days.
He was like a younger brother, though not related by blood.
They had traveled through many cities together and done plenty of jobs.
Among the con artists she knew, Nox was one of the best at acting, had a perfect poker face, was sly in just the right way, and was quick with both his wits and his hands.
Of course, not quite as good as her.
And with his orange hair and dark green eyes, he could even pass as her brother at first glance.
They had used that angle many times. That boy—she practically raised him.
As Maddie fondly recalled the past in silence, Nox couldn’t hold back and jumped to his feet, approaching her.
He grabbed Maddie by the shoulders and shook her.
“Ah, sis! Are you really going to milk the Grand Duke? Alone? You’re working with someone else this time, right? What about me? Am I in later? Sis, please take me toooo!”
Maddie, swaying back and forth, grabbed Nox by the collar and roughly shoved him into the chair.
He sat down quietly, swaying like a reed.
Maddie sighed as she looked at Nox, who scowled at her in protest.
He was a guy who had learned all sorts of petty crimes just to survive.
Though they had stolen together and even run minor cons occasionally, Nox had never killed anyone.
She had taught him how to switch cards, pickpocket without a trace, and even how to change posture or facial expression enough to look like a completely different person.
But she never taught him how to kill someone at the right time, in the right place.
It was something she never wanted to teach anyone, especially not Nox.
Maddie decided to keep the whole thing with the Grand Duke a secret from him.
The more people who knew, the bigger the hole in the plan.
Making her decision, Maddie spoke in a casual but slightly shy tone.
“It’s not a lie. I’m getting married.”
“…Huh?”
Nox froze like a broken doll, then quickly blurted out a stream of questions.
“I mean—sure, there were idiots who proposed when you were in disguise. And you used them sometimes. But you never actually said you’d marry anyone for real. This isn’t some setup where you run off with the dowry on the wedding day, right? You’re seriously getting married? Why? Really why? It’s not pretend? Not a lie?”
Maddie deliberately stared into a corner and answered.
“…He says he likes me even knowing who I really am.”
Nox’s innocent puppy-dog face twisted into pure horror.
He gaped at her, jaw hanging open.
“Your real self? L-Like what? That you’re a pickpocket? That you do all sorts of shady errands? That you run scams when the big jobs come in?”
Maddie rolled her eyes and said,
“He probably knows most of it. He knows I’m a terrible person to deal with.”
I killed someone in front of him. There’s nothing worse than that.
She nodded subtly, too faint for Nox to notice, finishing the rest of the thought in her head.
But the tension in Nox’s furrowed brow didn’t ease.
“What? Aren’t you overestimating yourself? Hard to deal with? You’re impossible.”
“You little—”
Before Maddie could retaliate or kick his chair again, Nox quickly stood up. He circled her, rubbing his chin.
“Is he terminally ill?”
“…What?”
“Maybe he wanted to go out with a bang. But this is overkill. This is like sitting in an electric chair.”
As Maddie reached out to grab him by the scruff of the neck, Nox dodged at the last moment.
But he wasn’t looking at her anymore. He stared at the wall, mumbling as if in a trance.
“Maddie’s getting married? …Married? To a Grand Duke? Not a Viscount, not a Baron, a Grand Duke? Not even a rich merchant? A Grand Duke? And it’s not a scam? Who’s the crazy one? The Grand Duke of Londeness? Crazy Maddie? No, Maddie’s always been crazy, so maybe not?”
Wandering around the room, Nox suddenly stopped in front of a mirror and looked at himself.
“…Is it me?”
Maddie sighed and dragged a hand down her face.
That chaotic idiot.
Caressing his reflection pitifully, Nox said,
“Nox. Get it together. This is a dream.”
Then he slapped his own cheek.
“…Ow. Damn. It’s real. Sis is really getting married.”
“Hey. Want to spend your last night at the bottom of the river?”
Ignoring her, Nox sat back down seriously, hands clasped together.
“You’re not sick, are you? Wanted to get married before you die?”
“No. He says he likes me even knowing what I’m really like. It’s the first time that’s ever happened.”
As she said it, Maddie began to get increasingly irritated.
Still, Nox couldn’t accept it.
“Isn’t there a reason it’s the first time? Why do you think no one ever came before? Ding ding ding. Yes, because you’re none other than crazy Maddie.”
Maddie clenched her fists.
But Nox’s relentless mouth didn’t stop.
“Look, I was so shocked when I saw the article, I dug into it a little. Thought you were working something, figured I should be informed. But anyway, the Grand Duke’s record is clean. No dirty rumors, no women, no illegitimate kids—just pitiful and decent. Don’t marry him.”
“…Say that again.”
“Maddie, don’t marry him. …He’s a good guy.”
Nox choked back tears as he pleaded. He couldn’t understand why someone like the Grand Duke would marry Maddie of all people.
“I’ve never even met him, but starting today, I’m happier than the Grand Duke.”
“Hey.”
“What, you terrible person trying to ruin an innocent man’s life?”
As she was about to beat him up for being especially annoying today, Maddie remembered why she came here.
“I really am getting married. So stop babbling and find out everything you can about Count Montenejando.”
“Count Montenejando? Who’s that?”
“My fiancé’s uncle. That Count, his wife, their kids—what they eat, what they crap, who sneaks in through the doghole—everything.”
Nox’s face lit up.
“Wow! Sis! You went into the Grand Duke’s house to scam some nobles! Love is love, but crime never dies! That’s our Maddie!”
Ignoring him, Maddie went to the cupboard, grabbed a bottle of brandy, and started chugging.
“Nooo! That was my special stash! You don’t even get drunk! Maddie! Hey! Ugh, my booze!”
Maddie drained half the bottle in seconds, then wiped the orange liquid from her chin with the back of her hand.
“You have three days.”
“Three days? That’s too short! But why the Count? Isn’t he someone you should get on the good side of? Is he rich? Even more than the Grand Duke? Or is he just an evil bastard?”
Maddie took another gulp and paused.
She couldn’t tell him about the contract…
“He messed with the Grand Duke.”
“…What?”
“He’s messing with my future husband.”
“For that? You’re digging dirt? Wait, why? Huh?”
“He touched what’s mine.”
The brandy bottle was nearly empty now. Maddie stared blankly at it, lost in thought.
The more she thought, the angrier she became.
If Yulician had drunk the poison, there’d be no wedding. No 100 million for a successful ceremony. No extra 1 billion after three years.
Even the living expenses and exile fund—gone.
The more she thought, the more furious she became.
Gripping the bottle neck, Maddie muttered under her breath.
“It’s all mine, damn it… How dare that bastard mess with my blood—no, my money—no, my love, you piece of sh—”
The atmosphere turned dangerous.
Nox cautiously approached her side.
Her eyes had flipped. When Maddie’s eyes shimmered with that gentle madness, it was best to clear away anything sharp.
Sensing the murderous intent, Nox nodded solemnly.
“So he messed with your boyfriend. Yes. He should be punished.”
He gently took the empty bottle from her hand as if to help clean up.
“You really love the Grand Duke, huh. Got it.”
“…Yeah.”
Maddie closed her eyes.
He dared mess with her money (including future funds). So she was going to scam Count Montenejando like never before.
Gloriously.
